The cargo-friendly 2008 Honda Element LX offers drivers an entry-level package of features, including such standard items as air conditioning with air filtration, cruise control, steering-wheel-mounted controls, easy-to-read blue-backlit instrument gauges, power door and tailgate locks, and a four-speaker AM/FM stereo system with a CD player and an MP3 input jack.

Honda dropped a 166-horsepower, 2.4-liter, double-overhead-cam i-VTEC four-cylinder engine under the hood of the Element LX. Variable valve timing and other technologies help improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions, while still providing 15,000 pounds of towing capacity.

Other features include a standard five-speed manual shifter or optional five-speed automatic, as well as a remote entry system, power side mirrors, and alloy wheels.

If previous models are any indication, the 2008 Element LX will prove popular with drivers who look for versatile, functional vehicles that fit well into active lifestyles. Of course, for many drivers, the Element makes its own unique statement.